Find out more about applying for the Rhodes Scholarship

Find out more about applying for the Rhodes Scholarship

Open

Tess Casher

Election Year: 2023

Election Constituency: Canada

Scholar Status: Scholar in Residence

Rhodes Identifier: Maritimes & Balliol 2023

Tess Casher

Biography

Tess Casher grew up in Doha, Qatar and now calls Whitehorse, Yukon home. She is pursuing an Honours B.A. in English with a minor in religious studies from Mount Allison University. Tess is passionate about how narrative informs one’s relationship to global challenges. Her deep interest in communication developed from her experiences as a person who stutters. Seeking to create inclusive spaces through literature, Tess authored a middle-grade novel that fosters stuttering representation and will be used to supplement clinical training at the Institute for Stuttering Treatment and Research.

Tess has invoked language to spark positive social change throughout her communities. In the Yukon, she collaborated with local newspapers and created resources for Yukon Courts. At Mount Allison University, Tess has served as President of the English Society, Editor in Chief and President of the ATLIS Journal and worked for numerous positions in academic support. Tess also leads the Mt A WUSC Student Refugee Program and was at the forefront of creating an Afghani student sponsorship.

At Oxford, Tess plans to continue her studies in English literature, and strives toward an academic career examining literature’s influence on readers’ engagement with social issues.